Schwab to invest more in marketing, hires CP+B as new shopCharles Schwab is coming out of a period of austerity and poor earnings reports and is vowing to spend more on marketing to compete better against online rivals and other financial companies. Now under Chief Marketing Officer Jonathan Craig, who was recruited from AT&T in September, the company has concluded a creative review, parting ways with Havas Worldwide for all but a portion of the work, and hiring Crispin Porter + Bogusky for the rest. Reuters
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Agency News

Lenovo hires Digitas for media duties, analyticsLenovo has tapped Digitas' Boston office to handle its media planning, buying and analytics, after a review in which incumbent Neo@Ogilvy declined to defend. Saatchi & Saatchi handles global creative for the brand, which spent $30 million in 2011, excluding digital advertising, according to Nielsen. "As we continue to grow our share and relevance in a highly competitive industry, we need an agency to help us break through to our target audience," said David Rabin, executive director of marketing in North America at Lenovo. Adweek
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Bud Light Platinum gets in sync with Justin TimberlakeJustin Timberlake will represent Bud Light Platinum in commercials and also act as the brand's "creative and musical curator" in a deal made through Bud Light agency Translation. The first spot will air during the Grammy awards telecast and feature Timberlake's "Suit and Tie," his newly released single. "Partnering with Justin as he makes his return to music brings a new level of relevance and credibility to the brand," said Paul Chibe, vice president of U.S. marketing at A-B InBev. Advertising Age (tiered subscription model)
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Toy-app combinations try to invent a new way to playNine out of 10 toy-industry efforts at combining real-world toys with applications were unsuccessful in 2012, says Jim Silver, editor in chief of TimetoPlayMag.com. "Kids looked at these plastic toys used to run digital games and said, 'Why bother when I can just use my thumbs?' " Silver says. Jakks Pacific recently unveiled an enhanced-reality app that, through a device's camera and display, made Disney characters appear to be interacting with toys. But industry observers are split on whether it will be successful, and they are concerned that tacking technology onto old ideas shows desperation. The Wall Street Journal/Dow Jones Newswires
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Marketer News

Samsung fashions an alliance with Alexander WangSamsung is partnering with Alexander Wang on a fashion project that will highlight the collaborative capability of the Samsung Galaxy Note II smartphones. Wang will coordinate work from other designers to arrive at a print that will be used for a limited-edition bag sold for charity. Samsung released a two-minute video showing Wang in action, coordinating the release with the start of Fashion Week in New York. The New York Times (tiered subscription model)
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Technology

Doritos ad contest wins nearly 100 million viewsFrito-Lay says the five finalists in its "Crash the Super Bowl" ad contest received nearly 100 million views this year. The campaign was moved from the company's own microsite to Facebook, making it easier for fans to share the videos. "That's the whole reason why we switched. People like to talk about the videos, and that reaches their circle of friends," said Vice President of Marketing Ram Krishnan. Adweek
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Association News

Talent & Development -- Strategy For Account Managers: How to Develop and Hone Your Strategic SkillsIn this hands-on workshop, sponsored by 4A's Northeastern Ohio Council on March 20, you'll learn essential strategy development tips, including how to write a new business pitch and strategic alignment best practices. Hosted by Robin Hafitz, one of the first American practitioners of account planning, this seminar, at The Club at Key Center, will help mid- and senior-level account managers at marketing communications firms polish their strategic skill sets.

Webinar Alert -- Digital Project Management: Common Causes of Digital Project Trouble, & What You Can Do About ThemBecome a more effective digital project manager for your agency with this virtual webinar, featuring Dave Po-Chedley, Principal at Cambridge Consulting. Learn the two most common causes of digital project problems, how to help prevent team members from missing deliverable deadlines, and how to make project request changes work for you. You won't want to miss this informative virtual event.

Member and non-member pricing is available for this March 28 webinar, so register today.

Self-regulation is working, ad networks sayLawmakers are skeptical about ad networks' willingness to take responsibility for their own behavior -- but the Network Advertising Initiative hopes to change that. It has signed up about 100 industry players, including Google, AOL, Microsoft and Yahoo, for a rigorous regulatory program requiring continuous review of companies' data collection, disclosures and opt-out policies. "What policymakers call for is self-regulation with teeth, enforcement and accountability. This is real and very tangible," says Executive Director Marc Groman. Adweek
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